WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats have relaunched an effort to ban legacy admissions at colleges after the Department of Education on Tuesday announced a civil rights investigation into Harvard University’s use of the practice.
The legislation, spearheaded by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., aims to prohibit universities nationwide from considering “legacy” — giving preferential treatment to children of alumni and donors — in admissions. Nearly 40 Democrats from the House and Senate have joined Merkley and Bowman in co-sponsoring the bill, one month after the Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action in college admissions.
“Affirmative action for the affluent, the well connected, the children of alumni, the children of donors is alive and well,” Merkley said at a news conference Wednesday announcing the reintroduction of the Fair College Admissions for Students Act.
Bowman juxtaposed the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action with legacy admissions.
“It sends the message,” Bowman argued, “that America is an oligarchy and not a democracy, and it further entrenches classism in our country, and it creates a sense of hopelessness and despair for students who come from low-income and poverty-stricken backgrounds, or students of color who … don’t believe that this is a country that works for them.”
The Department of Education is investigating a complaint filed this month by Black and Latino groups in New England, alleging that nearly 70% of legacy applicants to Harvard are white. The 31-page complaint argued legacy admissions overwhelmingly put applicants of color at a disadvantage.
Since the bill was introduced last February, support has grown substantially, but it still lacks Republican co-sponsors. Bowman urged Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who is running for president and has indicated support for ending legacy admissions, to sign onto the bill Wednesday.
Scott, who welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action, said during an interview on Fox News last month that Harvard should “eliminate any legacy programs” that show preferential treatment for students seeking admission. “Let’s make sure that all admissions are based on academic scores,” he said during an interview with Fox News.
Bowman said he welcomes Scott’s support. “I was happy to hear Sen. Tim Scott say that he supports ending legacy admissions,” he said. “We call on him to become a co-sponsor of the bill and help us get 10 Republicans — nine more on the Senate side — so that we can pass in the Senate and make this bill legislation, because it’s about time.”
After the news conference Wednesday, Bowman cornered Scott in a hallway in the Russell Senate office building, asking him to formally endorse the bill.
“Well, I’d have to look at it,” Scott said.
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